{"id":12571,"date":"2014-04-29T15:33:51","date_gmt":"2014-04-29T14:33:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/en.sma-sunny.com\/?p=12571"},"modified":"2014-04-29T15:33:51","modified_gmt":"2014-04-29T14:33:51","slug":"top-solar-stories-in-april-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sma-sunny.com\/en\/top-solar-stories-in-april-2014\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Solar Stories in April 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

These are the top stories you can\u2019t miss in April:<\/p>\n

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1. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0World Solar Capacity Up 35% in 2013<\/h5>\n

2013 was another big year for solar. Want proof?\u00a0With about 37,007 megawatts (MW) of solar PV power installed in 2013, world solar PV power capacity increased about 35% to 136,697 MW.\u00a0Whereas Europe had dominated annual growth for years up until 2013 (10 years, to be precise),\u00a0solar PV growth\u00a0was much more evenly split last year, and\u00a0China\u00a0actually topped the tables. Check out this great analysis by\u00a0Zachary Shahan on Cleantechnica<\/a>\u00a0to find out who else is on the way to becoming a solar super power.<\/p>\n

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\"The<\/a>

The tables have turned: wind and solar are on the rise whereas the role of fossil fuels has decreased.<\/p><\/div>\n

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2. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Solar Storage Market Tipped to Boom in Germany<\/h5>\n

A study by research outfit EuPD,\u00a0commissioned by investment body Germany Trade & Invest (GTI), has predicted a nationwide market of 100,000 units by 2018, up from 6,000 last year, citing falling PV prices as the \u201cmost significant reason\u201d for this \u201cmonumental\u201d commercial growth. Find out why storage are a logical investment on the way for 100% renewables in this article on RenewEconomy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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3. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Happy Birthday, Solar!<\/h5>\n

Sixty years ago on April 25, 1954, Bell Laboratories demonstrated to the world one of\u00a0the most significant breakthroughs ever recorded in the history of solar energy and of\u00a0electricity \u2013 the first solar cell capable of converting enough sunlight into electricity to\u00a0generate useful amounts of power. Find out more about the history of solar in this great piece by John Perlin<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Photo\u2019s<\/a>

Photo\u2019s courtesy of AT&T archive.<\/p><\/div>\n

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4. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0100% Renewable Energy is only a Matter of Political Will<\/h5>\n

It’s been\u00a0three years since the Fukushima\/Daiichi nuclear disaster. Almost everybody agrees that we need to make the shift\u00a0from using hazardous nuclear and fossil energy sources and instead turn towards 100% renewable energy.\u00a0<\/strong>But we are not there yet and still have to overcome many obstacles. That’s why the\u00a0Ambassadors of the Global 100% Renewable Energy Campaign\u00a0call on policy makers around the world to take action as transitioning towards fossil-free societies is a matter of political will in this article by Anna Leidreiter from Go100RE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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5. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0What is Energy Decentralization?<\/h5>\n

Many of you may have heard the term before, but do you all know what it really means? Thought so! That’s why we recommend you watch this video clip by John Farrell from the Institude for Local self-reliance who summarizes the concept and explains why\u00a0decentralizing is the key to climate change.<\/p>\n

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